Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl currently presides over the 175th Criminal District Court and a specialized Prostitution Prevention Court called Esperanza Court. She also is the current Criminal Presiding Judge. She has the privilege of being an adjunct faculty member at her alma mater, St. Mary’s University School of Law, teaching a Trial Advocacy course. She is the former Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Bexar County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, receiving her Probation Officer Certification.

She has spent the majority of her almost thirty-two year law career in the criminal justice arena, with over 25 of those years in a judicial capacity. Having served 14 years in the 144th and 175th District Courts combined, 10 years as a City of San Antonio Municipal Court judge presiding over Juvenile matters, initiating the Teen Court and several early intervention programs, as well as two years as a Bexar County Magistrate. She is a former Criminal Defense and Family Law practitioner with Gonzales & Torres-Stahl. Her legal career began as an Assistant District Attorney, prosecuting in the areas of Family Violence, Juvenile and Appellate law. She is a native San Antonian having attended Fox Tech High School and St. Mary’s University undergraduate with a BA in English-Communication Arts (1988), graduate school (coursework towards a Masters in Counseling) and graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1993.

Judge Torres-Stahl has dedicated countless hours to many boards, commissions and bar associations in pursuit of the advancement of women, the protection of children and the promotion of diversity, often presenting and lecturing to students at every level and the community at large. She is the past Co-chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association Judicial Council and former President of the Mexican American Bar Association in San Antonio. She is a past member of the St. Mary’s University School of Law Hispanic Alumni and St. Mary’s University School of Law Alumni boards. She was recently appointed by the Texas Supreme Court as Chair of the Judicial Board Court Reporter Certification Advisory Board. She currently serves as the Chair of the Juvenile Board.